


Little Red Boxes

by puppyuke (svana_vrika)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!
Genre: Anniversary, Birthday, Engagement, Established Relationship, M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-01-02
Updated: 2016-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-11 04:01:21
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,826
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5613232
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/pseuds/puppyuke
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Seto reflects on the year gone by as he readies himself for Jounouchi's birthday</p>
            </blockquote>





	Little Red Boxes

**Author's Note:**

  * Inspired by [New Year, New Beginnings](https://archiveofourown.org/works/3066371) by [daisey (svana_vrika)](https://archiveofourown.org/users/svana_vrika/pseuds/daisey). 



> Written in 2006 for Jounouchi's birthday for the defunct Yahoo! group, A Dragons Lair. Betaed by Seshats_Prodigy, but I touched it last. All mistakes are my own.
> 
> Disclaimer: The following is written solely for fun, and no infringement is intended. Yu-gi-Oh! and the scenarios and characters involved are the intellectual property of Kazuki Takahashi. No spoilers of which I'm aware.
> 
> Minor mention of other canon characters

Kaiba Seto stared intently at his desk calendar. Now, the act in itself was by no means momentous; he'd done the same thing _countless_ times over the years. No, what made this event noteworthy was the change that had come over both calendar and man. Just under a year ago, both had been empty... stoic... mysterious, even, given the blank faces they'd presented to anyone who'd happened to glance at them. This year, however, the brunette was _anything_ but empty; though he _did_ still maintain a certain air of stoic mysticism to those outside of his 'circle', his heart was full and his face wore a tender smile- and all because of a little, red box outlining the number '25' on his once pristine January grid. Granted, it was nothing flashy or gaudy- just a simple outline of ballpoint red- but it still spoke volumes in regards to the way that his life had changed... _'For the better.'_

As the brunette continued his study, his hand ran absently over the breast pocket of his jacket, his smile widening almost instantly. It was at that moment that another rarity occurred. Sighing contentedly, Kaiba Seto decided to indulge himself. Turning off his computer and setting his phone to ring directly into voicemail, he relaxed in his chair and recalled the past year, lazily reading back through his calendar as he reminisced. The first bit of red he came upon had been put there by the factory, but he still couldn't help but feel a thrill of anticipation as he noted the date: 9 January, the second Monday of the year and Seijin No Hi- the day that the coming of age for most twenty-year-olds was officially celebrated. Though he himself was emancipated and considered a legal adult, Katsuya still had two years to go before he could say the same. And, while the brunette would be eternally grateful to his lover's uncle for removing the blonde from Michael Jounouchi's care, he couldn't help the longing he felt at the thought of finally being able to 'legally' make Jounouchi Katsuya his own. _'Not that there's a doubt in **anyone's** mind as to whom my puppy belongs...'_

Pushing the scintillating, yet slightly melancholy thoughts aside, his eyes moved to the next bit of red, a smirk adorning his lips despite the fact that these dates, too, had been highlighted by the company and not by his own hand. Shogotsu- the days taken to celebrate the arrival of the New Year. Just as he had in years past, Mokuba had decorated the mansion, beginning with the Kadomatsu on 28 December, and culminating with the Shimenawa on New Year's Eve. This time, however, Seto had helped, recalling the silent promise he'd made to the Toshigami last year as he'd stood vigil over the puppy, who'd been recovering from his father's attack. Katsuya had assisted as well, the strong, winter sun glinting as brilliantly off of the shiny, yellow straw as it did off of his golden tresses. 

Once the 'demon warding' rope had been placed over the door, the three had retreated inside- Mokuba to hot chocolate and his video games, and the two older teens to hot showers and their tuxes, in preparation for the annual KaibaCorp Stockholders' Ball. The brunette's smirk widened as he thought about the difference that a year had made with respect to Katsuya and the press. As opposed to the hesitant, almost panicked steps he'd taken into the ballroom last year, this time the blonde had entered confidently, his trademark, brilliant grin on his face as he'd greeted most of the reporters and photographers by name. With no 'surprise business' to conduct this year, the CEO and his lover had danced the night away, fully enjoying each other’s company, as well as that of Norris and Nyoko, who were not only Kaiba's top Vice President, and the brunette's own personal secretary, but Katsuya's uncle and guardian, and soon-to-be aunt, as well. 

For a moment, the brunette's mind wandered from his lover and settled on the two adults who would one day- should his plans reach fruition- be part of his family as well. Nyoko had _always_ been an asset to him; her gentle mannerisms and soft voice masking a steely strength that had allowed her to put up with not only the countless employees and customers who harassed Kaiba daily, but the often taciturn CEO himself. His corporate life had taken an upswing for the first time in as long as he could remember when he'd unknowingly hired the puppy's uncle as a member of his board of financial directors. Needless to say, Norris had quickly risen through the ranks, his stellar capabilities and kind, but frank, personality catching Kaiba's attention long before the relationship between the man and Katsuya was known. Save for a couple of instances during the turmoil that had surrounded the start of the brunette's relationship with his nephew, the two had never had cause to doubt each other, and Seto found himself infinitely grateful that he finally had someone he could trust working at his side. 

_'Hnn… and speaking of those first days…'_ The brunette's eyes and smile grew wistful as he flipped the page back and gazed at 25 December, shaking his head slightly at the red box that Katsuya had insisted on drawing. Contrary to what anyone who had seen it had thought, the marking had nothing to do with the Christmas holiday- which was still only celebrated sporadically in Domino. No, the slightly lopsided square told of a birthday of a different sort- at least, according to his lover. The date marked the passing of an entire year since Seto had tackled the blonde to the ground in front of Domino high... an entire year since the security video had been taken and tampered with and had ultimately caused them to finally admit their true feelings to each other. "That day may not mean much to _you_ ," the puppy had said shortly after, "But it'll always mean somethin' to me. If it weren't for that video, then I wouldn't be where I am right now. Even though we didn't end up together that day, to me it'll always be the day that my life _really_ started... my _new_ life with you." Suddenly, the brunette felt the sting of tears prick his eyes, much as he had the day Katsuya had originally uttered those words. He'd never been the romantic, sentimental sort, but the blonde had changed that as well and, oddly enough, Seto didn't mind one bit- at least as far as his lover was concerned.

Blinking back the drops of moisture and once again patting his breast pocket, this time with a slightly tremulous smile, the brunette resumed his review. Though the first part of December and most of November bore very little of the 'factory red', save for the Emperor's birthday and the Labour holiday, there were several of the penned in boxes; most of them, surprisingly, drawn by his own hand. Their first moonlit walk in the snow, their first duel monsters competition facing each other as lovers, not antagonists, the day that Katsuya had _legally_ been freed from his father's 'care' and placed in that of Norris. They were _all_ significant dates in his mind, and by his own hand they would be transferred to the next calendar- anniversaries of special occasions that he'd commemorate in some shape or form, knowing that he'd get the _true_ gift of seeing Katsuya's face light up in surprise and love just for him.

The next day that had been marked was 20 November, this one surrounded by the blonde's lopsided box. Seto blushed slightly as he recalled the nervousness he'd experienced that evening; it had been Shizuka's fifteenth birthday, and had marked his first 'official' Kawai family function. Naturally, he was quite used to Norris' company, and he'd met Katsuya's mother a number of times before. Despite the fact that he still harboured some resentment toward the woman for not offering to take the blonde back in his time of need, they got along fairly well. However, Norris' other sister and her family had come from Sendai, adding another five to the celebration. And, as an added surprise, they'd brought Katsuya's beloved grandmother, the woman who had taken the siblings in during the rougher days of the divorce- and the widow of the man who the blonde swore had been the only true father-figure in his life. Sensing his discomfort, Katsuya had teased him relentlessly on the trip to the restaurant, only to halt him before he could climb out of the limo, and give him a dizzying kiss. "I think it's sweet that you're nervous, Set," he'd murmured, those amber eyes twinkling with adoration and amusement. "It jus' proves in one more way how much you love me- th' fact that you're worried about whether they'll like and accept you or not." The blonde had flashed him a gorgeous grin and then had added teasingly, "Most of the time, you could give a _damn_ what people think." 

"He knows me so well," Seto murmured quietly, and the fact that the thought brought a tender smile to his mouth instead of a wave of panic to his stomach was yet another testament to how much he'd changed over the past year. "Better than I thought anyone _ever_ would." _'Both inside _and_ out,'_ he added in silent afterthought, a faint blush tingeing his cheeks and accompanying the pulse of arousal in his groin as he gazed at the boxes surrounding 4-6 November. He and Katsuya had gone away that weekend; it had been their first unchaperoned trip together as a couple. He'd flown the blonde to the Akita prefecture in his Lear, landing in Senboku, and then renting a car for the short drive to Lake Tazawa, where he'd rented a Ryokan with a private hot spring for their two day stay. The autumn colours had been gorgeous and the spa infinitesimally relaxing, but recalling the trip brought _other_ memories to his mind- those of his gorgeous lover's perfect body hovering over his own, Katsuya taking him beyond the edge of ecstasy as the blonde claimed him for the very first time. 

Shifting slightly in his chair and forcing his breathing to slow, Seto pulled himself from the memory, his expression saddening as he scanned past the factory printed, Bunka No Hi on 3 November to 25 October, his birthday. Despite the significance of the date, there was no red box surrounding it; not once since the age of eight had the brunette acknowledged his birthday. To him it had served as a painful reminder of precious things he had lost- his parents, his youth, his innocence. Even Mokuba knew better than to try and force the issue- but not Katsuya. The blonde had never even _thought_ about discussing it with him; he'd just gone ahead and planned a party, wanting to do something special for Seto's eighteenth. It hadn't been a bash- there'd been no balloons, punch bowls, or dancing; just an elegant dinner for themselves and the puppy's paired-off friends- Yami and Yugi, Bakura and Ryou, and Honda and Otogi. He'd taken Mokuba to a classmate's, and had even gone so far as to send the manor staff home, using one of Otogi's servers to ensure that the evening would be a complete surprise. 

Everything had been perfect, from the airy chamber music, to the ambiance of the table setting, to the menu that Katsuya had chosen, but Seto hadn't given anything a chance. Brusquely, he'd demanded to know what was going on and, when the blonde- who had by then become _quite_ adept at reading his lover's body language- hesitantly informed him, he'd demanded that everyone leave, and had then strode away. What had happened after, the brunette _still_ wasn't certain, save for the fact that all of them, _including_ Katsuya had left by the time he'd returned to the small dining room. As a matter of fact, the only thing there had been a note from his lover, telling him that Katsuya loved him, apologizing for whatever he'd done wrong, for 'fucking things up as usual', and for 'not being good enough for you to truly trust me and let me in'. 

Instantly, the focus of Seto's anger had switched to himself when he'd realized that the blonde was right- he _had_ been closing part of himself off. Within minutes, the brunette had been on his way to Norris'; thankfully the older man hadn't been home, or he was certain he'd have received an earful. As it was, he'd had to use the key Katsuya had provided him with, and had found the blonde lying on the sofa, his amber eyes shimmering with unshed tears as they'd stared unseeingly at the blank television. Kneeling in front of the couch, he'd hoarsely apologized, his own cobalt eyes pleading for forgiveness as he'd poured out his heart to his lover. By the time he'd finished, he'd been lying in Katsuya's arms, both of their faces damp with their intermingled tears- and both of them willing to let bygones be bygones and to move forward together. 

His expression once again one of contentment, Seto flipped the pages back to the current date before rising from his seat and stretching lithely. Granted, there was more red that littered the black and white pages; factory marked dates like Shubun No Hi and Tanabata mingled with hand-drawn squares commemorating such things as Mokuba's and Otogi's birthdays and ran clear to the first box he'd inked, the one around 25 June, their six- month anniversary. _'But,'_ Seto thought, a smile once again curving his lips as he glanced at the clock. _'It's time to move forward and leave the past in the past, just like Katsuya encouraged me to that night.'_ Checking his breast pocket one last time before sliding on his trench coat, the brunette shut his lights off and locked his office- heading out to do just that.

*****

Jou smiled happily as he glanced at the little, red box surrounding 25 January on his desk calendar, and then sighed as he once again checked his appearance in the mirror. While he was now _more_ than accustomed to readying himself for a night in the public eye with Seto, he still couldn't help but feel a bit nervous- despite the increase in his wardrobe and the number of times his lover had assured him of his, as the brunette put it, exquisite beauty. 

"Jou?" 

"Yeah, Nor?" The blonde checked his teeth one last time, and then ran his hands down the front of the form-fitting, cotton-knit, oatmeal sweater before standing and brushing them over his snugly clad, deep brown corduroy covered ass to brush away the non-existent lint.

"Seto's out front…" 

Jou sighed again and ran his hand through his hair, smiling despite himself as it became even more tousled- and more to his lover's liking. "I'm comin'." Hurriedly he strode to the living room, picking up his russet-coloured, short, leather dress-coat on the way. 

"You look very nice, Jounouchi," Nyoko observed warmly, her compliment bringing a tinge of colour to the blonde's cheeks. Giving her a soft smile, he leaned down and brushed her cheek with a kiss of thanks, and then straightened and headed for the door.

"And don't worry," his uncle called from behind his paper, his voice tinged with amusement. "We won’t wait up. Or hold breakfast… or lunch…”

"Norris!" 

"Shaddup, Nor!" 

The man laughed as his fiancée and his nephew's responses overlapped each other. "Seriously, Jou, have a good time," he continued, lowering the paper to smile affectionately at the blonde. "It's nice to know that you're finally getting the 'happy birthdays' you've been missing out on for so long."

His scowl fading when he caught the hint of sorrow in his uncle's eyes, Jou went back to the sofa and gave the man a quick, one-armed hug. "No worries, Nor," he said sincerely, his own eyes full of love and respect for the man. "I'd gladly go through all that shit again, and more, if I knew it'd get me to where I am today." And with that, the blonde was gone, flashing them one last, brilliant grin before pulling the door closed behind him.

Hurrying down the stairs, Jou pushed open the lobby door, his entire face lighting when he saw the tall form of his lover leaning against the sleek, black Lotus Elise parked in front of his building. Planting a quick kiss on Seto's cheek, he slid into the passenger seat, buckling up as the brunette closed his door and made his way around to the other side. Once he was settled, Kaiba put the car into gear, chuckling lowly as Jou's hand found its way to tease at his inner thigh. 

"Patience, Puppy," he purred, capturing the naughty hand and trapping it between his own and the gear shift. "No dessert before dinner, ne?"

"And where are you takin' me?" Jou asked, winking mischievously and then adding, "For dinner, that is?"

"Home." Seto followed the simple answer with a wink of his own. "For both, that is," he added with a cheeky grin. "Disappointed?"

"Hardly," Jou snorted, giving the brunette a happy smile. "Bein' able to celebrate with you, _without_ a bunch of media and fan-girls around, sounds like the _perfect_ birthday present to me." The two spent the remainder of the drive in contented silence, the blonde's head resting on the taller teen's shoulder until the car came to a stop. 

Leaving the Lotus parked in front of the manor, the two went into the house, Seto steering Jou directly to his bedroom by the arm he had draped around his waist. Though he'd been there countless times before, Jounouchi couldn't help but gasp as the door was opened. The room was lit with dozens of elegant tapers, the gentle aromas of lavender and ylang ylang scenting the air. A small table had been set up, kitty corner to the large, four poster bed and directly in front of the balcony doors, affording them a breathtaking view of the snow-covered courtyard below. A serving cart stood next to the table, and was covered with several take-out containers, the red colour of the boxes once again causing Jou's face to light up with pleasure. "Ajanta?" he asked, his tone a mixture of excitement and disbelief. "You had Indian take-out brought clear from _Tokyo_ , just 'cause it's my birthday?" Seto chuckled softly as the blonde left his side to sniff curiously at the containers. "And chicken curry! Seto, I…" Jou turned and gasped again as he found himself in his lover's arms. "It's too much." He leaned up and brushed the brunette's lips in a loving kiss. "But thank you." 

Still smiling, he allowed Seto to seat him, never noticing the slight pause the brunette made as he passed by the cart on his way to his own seat. Over the course of the next hour, the boxes slowly were emptied and placed on the bottom of the cart, bites of tandoori lamb, curried chicken, and saffron rice crossing the table as the two intimately shared their meals with their conversation. ”It's a good thing everything's gone, 'cause I am _stuffed_ ," Jou declared, stretching lithely and gently patting his belly. "Wait…" Seto's heart uncharacteristically skipped a beat as his lover's amber eyes finally caught sight of the last little, red box- this one a great deal smaller than the other containers had been. "What's in that?"

"I don't know," he lied quietly, his eyes locked on the blonde's gorgeous face. "Open it, and find out." 

Shooting the brunette a questioning glance, Jou did as he'd been told, his jaw dropping and his eyes filling as he spied the ring inside. "S… Seto…" With trembling fingers, he withdrew the thick, tungsten band and held it up to the candlelight. "Seto, I…"

Smiling softly, Seto took the blonde's hand, drawing him from his chair and into his lap. "It's an engagement ring, Katsuya," he explained, taking the band and sliding it onto his lover's left ring finger, and then kissing the palm before grasping Jou's hand with his own. "I know you're _just_ eighteen, but I couldn't wait any longer," he confessed, nuzzling into his lover's silken locks. "I've already spoken with Norris, and he's given his permission- provided it's what _you_ want. So, what do you think, Puppy?" he murmured huskily, planting tiny kisses along Jou's cheek, jaw, and neck. "Do you think you would mind being mine forever?" 

"I thought I already was," Jou whispered teasingly, his own voice thick with barely suppressed emotion. Turning his head slightly, he captured those teasing lips, nipping lightly at the lower and then sensuously plundering Seto's mouth. "But," he breathed, his mouth just barely parted from his lover's. "If you're askin' if I'll make it official, then my answer's yes…" Finally closing the distance, the blonde kissed Seto deeply again, his ringed hand twining in the chestnut locks as he dominated this kiss as well. Within minutes, they'd moved to the bed, their naked bodies intertwining, as did their gasps, moans, and declarations of love. Driving each other to the brink of ecstasy, their lovemaking culminated in a single, perfect moment, the brunette's cry of release echoed by the blonde as he climaxed deep inside his lover's body. Coming down from his peak, Jou carefully slipped out of his lover, nuzzling into his chest and sighing contentedly before demanding playfully, "So, did ya order from Ajanta 'cause you remembered how much I loved it, or 'cause their takeout boxes colour-coordinated with th' ring box?" 

"Why can't it be both?" Seto replied cheekily, quirking a rare grin at the blonde before dropping a kiss onto the top of his head. "Now, go to sleep, Puppy," he ordered gently, lazily running a hand through his lover's hair. "We've got a press conference tomorrow announcing the engagement, and… What?" he interrupted himself at Jou's quiet giggle. 

"You musta been awfully sure of yourself," he replied, his eyes sparkling playfully as they caught and reflected the flame from the one candle they'd left burning. "Jus' what would you have done if I'd said 'no'?" 

"Cancelled," the brunette replied airily, as if disrupting the schedules of multiple press agencies was as natural as breathing to him. "But," he added softly, "I'm very, _very_ glad that you said yes."

"Hnn, I'm sure," Jou deadpanned. "It woulda sucked big time, havin' to make all those phone calls…" Giggling once again at Seto's playful, "Bad dog," he nestled in as close as he could, his eyes finally drifting shut. Shortly after, Seto followed, a soft smile curving his lips as he thought about the now-empty ring box, and the subsequent, little red boxes that would mark his calendar for years to come.


End file.
